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Memory

Apr25

It is funny how some things trigger a memory that warms your heart. Today, a simple conversation caused me to remember something I used to enjoy eating, but haven’t thought about in quite some time. I was visiting with my niece and her children – my great nephew and great niece. Nolen, age 3, was telling me what he learned at the library earlier in the morning. He was in a story group that was reading about bees and told me that bees made honey! We talked a little about how we both like honey and that he likes it on bread and muffins! I mentioned that I like toasted pumpernickel bread with butter and honey on it!

I thought about this the rest of the day and ended up popping in to the grocery store to pick up a small loaf of fresh pumpernickel from their bakery and a bottle of honey! I couldn’t wait until breakfast to have some……I toasted two slices to have as a snack while watching TV after choir practice this evening!

Thinking of pumpernickel bread and honey was not only a reminder of a favorite treat that I haven’t had in a long time, it also brought up two distinct memories I share with a dear friend from my high school years – both gave me the warm-fuzzies and put a big smile on my face! The memories stuck with me through the day, today!

  • First up — the very first time I remember eating pumpernickel bread was the first time I went to my friend, Sharon Nowicki’s house for lunch. Her Mom served ham slices rolled up in little logs, pumpernickel bread (there was probably another choice, but I only remember the pumpernickel), condiments, and probably either salad or chips – not sure – just remember those sandwiches made with ham logs, pumpernickel bread and condiments in little dishes! I thought it was so fancy and I developed a taste for something new!
  • The second memory was the very first time I put honey on pumpernickel toast! Sharon and I went to New York City in 1979. We had a FABULOUS time in the big city – feeling and acting quite full of ourselves! :) We took the train from Rochester to Grand Central Station and spent several days seeing the sites. One of our adventures was going to Central Park. We took a horse and buggy ride to Tavern On The Green – a very elegant restaurant in the middle of Central Park (I don’t believe it is there, anymore) – for brunch. It was a beautiful place with huge crystal chandeliers, floor to ceiling windows overlooking the park, and extremely handsome waiters! We had omelets and Champaign and a bread/pastry tray, which included (among many other things) pumpernickel toast with honey as just one of the possible spread selections. I don’t remember what triggered me to put honey on the pumpernickel toast, but I did and the rest was history!!!   (to read more about our trip, click here for a blog post I wrote about it)

Aahh – memories are the joys of a life well lived……I am blessed with many wonderful memories!!!

Breaker, Breaker 1-9

Jan16

Breaker, breaker 1-9. This here’s the Shortstuff leaving the salt mine. I’m just watchin’ the pavement, starvin’ the bears, and keepin’ the ole double nickel honest. Got any sandbaggers out there, come on? How ’bout it, Lady Luck, what’s your 20? Candy Man, you got your ears on? We’re clean and green so far, the bears must be hibernating. Made it to the home 20. Catch ya on the flip-flop. Keep your nose between the ditches and Smokey out of your britches. The Shortstuff is down and gone.

Yeah, I admit it. I was a CB (citizen band radio) junky in the 70s and early 80s! We had a home base unit and a mobile unit in every car in the family and all our friends did, too! I worked at GE in Brockport on the second shift for years. We’d all get on our CBs and talk all the way home – about a 30 minute drive, depending on traffic and weather. It was nice – like having a bunch of people in the car with you on a long, tiring drive home after midnight!

The “handles” in my opening paragraph belong to me (Shortstuff), Mom (Lady Luck), and my Dad (Candy Man). Funny thing – my Dad’s name was Charlie and his CB handle was Candy Man and, in CB lingo, both Charlie and Candy Man refer to the FCC! (I  think he actually took the handle from the Sammy Davis Jr song Candy Man) :) I don’t remember a lot of my friend’s handles – my brother was Muddog….I had a friend that went by Sparkplug (Sparkie)…..and my boyfriend, at the time, didn’t have a CB but we referred to him by his nickname – Beefy!

The problem with talking on a CB, though, was that nothing was private! Anyone tuned to that channel could listen in on your conversation and, if they never chimed in, you may never know they heard you! Sandbaggers, we called them – people who sat quietly and just listened in on other people’s conversations! That could prove risky! Case in point – I remember one night in the late-70s I left work at midnight, met up with some friends at the Barge Inn for whatever the special was that night (most likely either 3 OV splits for $1 or 3 shots of schnapps for $1 or 3 Miller ponies for $1……get the picture?), went to the Brockport Diner for breakfast and coffee after, and headed home about 3:00 or 4:00 am…..or so! I was on the CB chatting with the others that had been out with me and on their way home, as well. I told my friends, “I need to watch the pavement, I have a local smokey on my tail and I can’t afford to feed the bears” (translation: I need to drive carefully cause I have a town cop behind me and I don’t want a ticket). I then turned up the street that my grandparents lived on to jog around through town in hopes he wouldn’t follow me, but he did! So, I pulled in to my grandparents driveway and turned the car off. The cop drove right by – probably figuring I was home and off the road. I then told my friends what I did and that I was going to sit there a couple of minutes and then head on home once I felt the coast was clear! Well, the next response I heard was a voice I didn’t recognize that said “Watch it, this bear has ears” (translation: the cop that was following me had been sandbagging our conversation – OMG!). I made it home without a ticket, but I was much more careful about what I said on my CB after that! :) I had my CB on while driving on a trip, once, and overheard some truckers talking about a woman in a mini-van full of kids weaving in and out around the trucks on the interstate – passing them, cutting in front of them, etc – they were just ahead of me – she passed me, too. They said they needed to “contain the kool-aid mom in the four-wheeler cause she’s on a suicide mission”. Within minutes, there was an 18-wheeler in front of her, beside her, and behind her – boxing her in and they rode like that for miles!!! It probably irritated her that these truckers had the nerve to block her in, like that! But, they may very well have saved her and her kids from a potentially deadly situation the way she was flitting around those trucks driving at high speeds with tons of weight behind them!

CBs were very popular in the 70s and a little into the 80s. There were several movies made about truckers and CBs (Convoy, Smokey and the Bandit - and multiple sequels, etc.) and TONS of trucking related songs. And the lingo took on a life of its own! It was a whole separate language of 10-codes and phrases that were usually longer to say than just saying what they meant in the first place! They were meant to only make sense to truckers, but so many people had CBs and watched the movies and listened to the songs, that it wasn’t such a secret language anymore! :) But, it did help me have a lot of fun with truckers when I was a shipping/receiving supervisor and saw several truckers on a daily basis!

So, I’ll close with this classic trucker song…….enjoy!

(Translation for opening paragraph:  Permission to speak on channel 19. My handle is Shortsuff and I just left work. I’m driving carefully, avoiding a ticket, and keeping my speed at 55 mph. Is there anyone out there listening, but not talking? Mom – where are you? Charlie – are you on your CB? There are no cops or obstacles along the way. I made it home. Talk to you on the return trip. Drive safe. I’m signing off.)

And on to 2013

Dec31

Happy New Year 2013

Well, today is the last day of yet another year that seemed to simply flash before my eyes and is gone! Where does the time go? They say that the older you get, the faster the years fly by. Does that seem fair to you? You finally get to a stage in your life when you can really enjoy it and it starts moving at the speed of light – don’t blink, you’ll miss something important! I barely put a dent in my wish list of stuff to do in 2012 and I’ve run out of time! Oh, well, I had a great year, anyway, and if I missed something really special last year, it will just roll over to my to-do list for 2013! How’s that?

Yes, 2012 was a great year. My first full calendar year back home in Albion – YAY! I reconnected with old friends, ventured out to explore old favorite spots and found some new ones, made some new friends, finished some major renovation projects on my house, got to know some of my amazing neighbors, rejoined the church I attended with my family as a child, and – most importantly – spent a ton of wonderful time with my family! Only down side was Mom being sick – she was very ill all year (still is, but we’re hoping she’s on the road to recovery). We weren’t able to get out together much, but we still spent a lot of time together. What you do together isn’t the important thing…..the important part is that you’re together! I am so happy I’ve been here to be with her and help her as much as I could.

Doesn’t sound like I missed much as the year raced by, does it? I sure was busy all year! I often wonder, where is this “retirement” that I’ve read and heard about? The one where people sit in rocking chairs and get bored? I definitely wouldn’t enjoy that kind of retirement for very long, but short periods of it from time to time would be nice! :) I had lots of plans to help ward off the boredom I was sure would set in after I got settled. I downloaded a bunch of books onto my Kindle……I did make time to set out on the patio or up in the lovely sitting area in my bedroom dormer to read a few books, but still haven’t finished the last one I started a few months ago. I started a list of places I wanted to go visit near by……I got through several of them, but still have a bunch to shoot for this coming year. I (with Mom’s help) re-taught myself how to knit and crochet so that I could join the Prayer Shawl group at church……..I crocheted one beautiful shawl for the group and started to knit another one, but the holidays have slowed progress on that one down. I promised myself I would write on here more often, too……..I have written more than in the past few years and I also started a new blog devoted to church news, but still haven’t written as much as I would like to. I enjoy all these things and deliberately make or find time to do them as I can, but since they were meant to ward off boredom and boredom never came, I haven’t devoted as much time to them as I would like.

I found a great new veterinarian for the girls – Dr. Mary Neilans! We LOVE her! I also found a dentist I really like in nearby Batavia – Dr. Krough at Genesee Dental – and he got me set up with Invisalign teeth aligners (invisible braces) to solve some concerns I have with my teeth. It took just about 11 months, but my house in NC finally sold!!!! I spent quite a bit of time enjoying beautiful Lake Ontario – mostly at Point Breeze with a couple of days at Olcott Beach and Charlotte. And, something I never thought I’d hear myself say, I bought and learned how to use a snow blower!

WOW – I sure packed a lot into a year that seemed to only last a split second!

Reflecting on some of the simple JOYS 2012 brought:

  • Watching the girls learn to love playing in the snow – leaping around through snow that was nearly shoulder deep on them, trying to catch snowballs I would throw at them, wrestling and rolling around in the fluffy cold stuff!
  • Riding my lawn mower around the yard with my iTunes blaring classic rock and singing along at the top of my lungs!
  • Joining the choir at church – I’ve found (to my great surprise) that when I’m not singing rock and roll along with the radio or dancing through the house singing Broadway show tunes to entertain the girls and let my “smile” shine, that I actually don’t have a half bad singing voice – if I concentrate on singing properly! :)
  • Sitting on my patio or in my dormer looking out over the lovely neighborhood I live in!
  • Meeting so many great new people!
  • Welcoming a new member of our family – my beautiful Great Niece, Taryn!

So, now on to 2013! Life is pretty darned good and I’m blessed with family, friends, a great house, and three amazing dogs – the girls – my sweet companions! So, I don’t have much that I would resolve to improve or change. But, I guess there are a few things I could work on this coming year, so here are my New Year’s Resolutions for 2013:

  • I really need to get hooked up with a good doctor and start taking better care of my health! I have one in the works – hope I like her – if not, I’ll keep looking!
  • Yeah, OK – along with that, I will work on losing some weight!
  • I will continue to work hard at being the person my dogs think I am…….loving, caring, supportive, and kind to others!

Some of the highlights on my “2013 To Do” list:

  • I will plan a trip to AZ to see Ronald and Lisa this spring – and, yes, Bonnie, I’ll be sure to spend some time with you, too!
  • Day or overnight trips to: Baseball Hall of Fame, Corning Glass Museum, and a few other points of interest!
  • New countertops in the kitchen!
  • Find more time for creative outlets for myself — knitting, crocheting, writing, etc.

So, there you have it! My past year in a nutshell and my predictions for the year to come. I wish everyone a happy, healthy, joyous, and prosperous New Year!

“Dream as if you’ll live forever. Live as if you’ll die today!”

~ James Dean

Christmas 1912

Dec6

Yes, you read the title correctly……Christmas 1912!  On Tuesday, I went to a monthly event called “Tea with Dee” at the Hoag Library in Albion.  The first Tuesday of each month at noon, Delia Robinson, the Gaines Town Historian, gives a talk and serves tea.  Her talks are usually focused on a historical female figure from our area and are so interesting……if you haven’t attended one of her sessions, you really should!  She is an amazing speaker and finds the most interesting and entertaining facts on the subjects of her talks.  Anyway, as usual, I digress……  This month, she didn’t talk about a person, she talked about how Christmas was 100 years ago – in 1912.  As usual, it was very interesting and entertaining, but this particular talk also brought back so many memories for me!  No……I wasn’t actually here in 1912, so don’t go there!  There were several things she mentioned, though, that were still around when I was growing up in Albion and I found myself thinking of them the rest of the day.

She researched the local newspapers from December 1912 and read us tidbits of information and advertisements from that time.  She mentioned Dugan’s Shoe Store.  I remember going to Dugan’s for my shoes.  It was an experience, not like going to a shoe store today where you pretty much help yourself and have to know what size you wear.  When I was little, it was a big deal to go in, look at the displays, and then sit down and be waited on – like you see in the movies!  The salesman would measure my feet with those big metal foot measurer thingys and bring out a selection of boxes in the perfect size for me to try on.  He would help me put them on, tie them up, and have me walk around in them to see how they felt!  I remember getting my first tap shoes there and my shiny black patent leather “Mary Jane’s” and my beloved saddle shoes!  I would bet the farm that the saddle shoes in this photo came from Dugan’s!

Kim_4 years old

She also mentioned sale ads for Landauer’s Department Store!  I remember Landauer’s, too!  I graduated with John Landauer, who sadly is no longer with us, and thinking of the store always makes me think of John.  My Great Aunt Margaret worked at Landauer’s for several years, so when we shopped there, chances were that Aunt Margaret would be our sales lady.  Landauer’s was a little pricey for us to shop there on a regular basis, so it was a real treat to go there for something special.  Mom would always take us for one or two special outfits for back to school.  It was the best place to go, if you needed a wedding, shower, or baby gift.  Mom would get her “unmentionables” there.  And, it was the only place in town where you could get official Girl Scout and Boy Scout uniforms and accessories!  Yes, it was a special adventure to shop at Landauer’s – when you bought something, they wouldn’t roll it up and put it in a bag, they would fold it beautifully and put it in a box with tissue paper!

Dee talked about Christmas ornaments from 1912 – there were no advertisements for store-bought ornaments because people made their own, but there were articles in the ladies magazines of the time with tips and ideas for making new and different decorations.  I instantly remembered the construction paper chains we made as children that Mom would hang proudly on our tree!  People now would think that is tacky, but we thought it was wonderful!!!  :)   One particular tip she read to us out of a magazine sounded like a great idea to me!  They suggested you put a small white tree (they told how to make a real tree white and sparkly, but you could use an artificial white tree, now) as the center piece for a holiday table and to decorate it with small wrapped gifts for each of the dinner guests and to attach a ribbon from the gift to the place card at each guest’s place setting around the table.  What a great idea!!!!!

She talked about the recipes of the time, as well…….some that might still go over well today…..some that didn’t sound like they’d be very popular if served in 2012!  :)

So, I got a lot out of this month’s talk and am still thinking about the wonderful memories it sparked and the ideas it put in my head for the holiday season!  And, as usual, I am looking forward to next month’s topic!  Come join us – you’ll surely enjoy it!

It’s a Girl

Dec1

Babies…….they bring so much joy into a family!  Our family was blessed with a new baby this week and I can not tell you how full of love my heart is for this little angel!  She is perfect!  Yes, I’m biased and yes, that sometimes clouds people’s judgement and opinions, but anyone looking at her would surely agree that she is the pure definition of beauty and perfection!  This makes me a great-aunt for the second time.  She joins her older brother who will be three in January.

While all babies are special and my great-nephew is my absolute favorite little man, this little sweetheart brings an extra special bit of joy for me.  You see, I was not blessed with children of my own – although I raised a stepson that I loved very much.  So, I won’t have the pleasure of grandchildren.  Also, my brother and I lived in different states when his children were born, so they were both several months old when I first saw and held them.  The same for my great-nephew - I lived 800+ miles away from my nephew and his wife when he was born and he, too, was several months old when I got to meet him.  Now that I have moved back home, I am closer to him and can see him much more often.  And the best part —- I got to see and hold his little sister within a day of her birth!  My cup runneth over!

So, now there are two and shopping for the holidays and birthdays will not only be full of trucks and blue and other little boy things.  It will, now, also be full of dresses and dolls and hair bows and pink and other little girl things!  Yes, I know……..these stereo-types are not necessarily true, anymore, and that’s OK!  But, at least for now, I will have so much fun shopping for a little boy and a little girl and enjoying the distinction!  What fun – I love to shop for the little ones!

Now, my great-nephew…he is a real trip — remember, I said he’ll be three in January!  He never ceases to amaze me at how old he acts and how smart he is!  When I got to the hospital to meet his little sister, he rushed to the door to show me his new camera – a real digital camera, but made for a child with large buttons and a tough case.  He said, “I got my own camera!  You take pictures with it, you know!”  and then handed it to me and said, “You can take a picture of your own self!”  haha  When I asked him what he thought of his little sister, he said, “My baby is CUTE!  I kiss and hug her a lot!”  When he was told he would be getting a baby sister and they asked him what he thought they should name her, he instantly said “Penguin”!  And, he has stuck with that ever since and is still adamant that her name shall be Penguin!  So, our little Penguin will have a wonderful big brother, for sure!

So, excuse me for gushing, but I have the most amazing great-nephew and great-niece in the whole wide world!!!  I am thrilled for the opportunity to watch them grow up and love them to pieces!

The Final Chapter

Oct6

I closed a book this week…..the final chapter was complete and the story has ended.  As with all books you truly love reading, the ending came with mixed emotions – on one hand the story will always remain with you in memories, but on the other hand coming to that last page is usually so sad……and then comes the excitement about moving on to the next really good book.  When I finish reading the last page of a great book, I usually sit there for a while holding the book and thinking through the story ensuring I won’t soon forget it.  I felt that way on Monday.  The book analogy is just that, though - an analogy – I didn’t literally finish reading a book.  I did, however, close the book on a chapter in my life – cut the final physical ties – said goodbye to something I treasured.

Monday was the closing of the sale of my home in Sanford, NC.  Last November, I retired, put my house on the market, and moved my life back to my hometown in Albion, NY.  It was a good decision and a good move for me.  But, I found that selling my home was not going to be as easy as I envisioned – physically or emotionally.  It was an adorable, charming home with excellent curb appeal in a great neighborhood and perfect location at an affordable price – it was sure to sell before I could get settled in Albion, right?  Wrong!  One week shy of eleven months later, the sale officially closed.  I assumed and hoped I wouldn’t have to manage mortgages and expenses on two houses for much more than 4-6 months, but also knew that this economy might dictate a longer duration.  So, now it is done and from a financial perspective, I am over joyed!  From an emotional perspective, it was sad to close that book.

Putting a solid period at the end of this chapter of my life was more than just selling a possession I no longer had a need for.  I was selling a home that I put a lot of my love and personality into.  I had every intention of it being the last home I ever lived in, so I put a lot of time and thought into making it my own.  I purchased it in 2003 and every year I’d take my bonus and tax return and plan out the projects I wanted to accomplish that year.  When all the stars were aligned perfectly to form my decision to retire and move back home, the house was almost exactly the way I wanted it — just a couple minor projects were left on my “to do” list.  But, that’s OK — that’s the way life goes — just when you think you’ve made it to where you thought you wanted to be when you grew up, another goal, twist in the road, or exciting destination pops up and you take it from there!

It also means that I have no more physical ties to Sanford.  I still have friends there, so I’ll have good reasons to visit occasionally, but the sale of my home was the last of the tangible ties I had to a community I enjoyed being a part of.

So, that is that!  On Monday, I waited patiently all day to hear that the closing was finished and when I got the word, I felt relieved – a big financial weight was lifted off my shoulders, I felt excited – definitely cause for celebration, and then I cried – my lovely home was no longer mine!

And then I wandered through my home here in Albion and smiled at the work I’ve done, so far, to make THIS home my own.  And I got the warm fuzzies when I thought about how so very happy I am here – in this new home so close to my family, childhood friends, and new friends.  And the tears went away.  And I felt good, comfortable, and content.  And I put the book I just finished away on my memory shelf – it is done!

Goodbye, Sanford house……..I hope your new owner loves you as much as I did!!!!

Thoughts, Words, Friends, and More

Jul25

So, it has been a while since I’ve jotted down any thoughts on here.  Certainly doesn’t mean I haven’t had any thoughts to jot down.  I have!  In fact, I tend to think of a topic or have an adventure or see something or experience something worth blogging about just about every day!  I think “I need to write about this” and even think through the spin I’ll put on it and how I’ll compose it.  But, then, I get off on something else and don’t do it.  So, it isn’t for lack of inspiration.  And, it certainly isn’t for lack of time, either!  I always have a lot going on, but there is time to write, if I just put my mind to it.  The last possible excuse would be lack of interest, but that isn’t true, either!  I really enjoy coming up with things to write about and the actual process of putting them in a blog.  So, I can’t think of a single reason why I don’t jot something down every day or at least a couple of times a week………I just don’t!  With that said, I’m going to attempt to get some recent thoughts and activities out there.

There was a time when having words with your friends meant sitting down for a chat or calling them on the telephone – having a physical face-to-face (or at least an actually spoken) conversation – or perhaps writing a letter with a pen and paper and mailing it to them in an envelope with a postage stamp on it.  Then along came technology and email and texting and Facebook – the end, it seems, of face-to-face conversations and handwritten notes.  But, now, Words With Friends has a whole NEW meaning and it has nothing to do with conversations or communicating at all.  You see, Words With Friends is a game you play online with…..you got it…..friends!  I know, this isn’t a new game – it has been around a long time, now.  But, it is new to me!  My nephew, Bryan, got me hooked on it a little over a week ago and I’ve been playing it like an addict ever since!  I love it and using the words “hooked” and “addicted” are serious understatements!  Words With Friends is a form of Scrabble.  You get letters and use them to form connecting words on a board for points with a partner.  The concept and basic rules are the same.  The differences, though, are what makes it even better than Scrabble……..and I always did enjoy a good game of Scrabble!  First, you can play with a friend who lives across town, across the state, or across the county!  You can have multiple games going with multiple friends from all over the place – like, right now, I think I have at least five active games with friends in NY, NC, RI, and FL – all at the same time!  I choose to play with actual friends I know, but you can also play with random strangers, if you want to widen your partner base.  In regular Scrabble, you don’t know if an odd combination of letters might make up a word you never heard of before – but, in Words With Friends, you can play with the letters to try odd combinations and the game will tell you if it is an actual word or not – it won’t accept it, if it isn’t a word!  Also, a game may last several hours or several days – your partner may play a word or a few words and then log off and go to work or tend to some errands and come back to it later in the day.  That can be somewhat frustrating, if you have the time and want to keep playing………but, they may also end up waiting for you to play your word while you’re off doing stuff, so it goes both ways.  That’s also the benefit of having multiple games going at once – if one game goes idle while that friend is busy, another game may gear up for a few rounds.  It is exciting to log on after being out and about and finding that it is your turn on a couple of boards!  So, that’s my new little guilty pleasure - Words With Friends!

Shopping is another activity that has taken on a new meaning for me, lately.  A few months ago, I started “church shopping”.  When I was growing up here in Albion, my family church was the First United Methodist Church.  I was baptized there and went with my family for many years.  In my mid-teens, I went to a little country church for a while and then returned to the family church as a young adult.  I didn’t want to just assume that I’d feel most comfortable returning to the church I grew up in, so I shopped around for a while.  I visited several churches in town over several weeks and experienced very different ways of worship.  When I went to North Carolina Wesleyan College, one of the required courses was Religious History.  During that course, I studied all the major religions, including all the different denominations within the Christian religion.  I found it fascinating and really enjoyed that class.  As I visited the different churches in my shopping expedition, I was reminded of what I learned about Christianity in that class.  Although all Christian religions have a similar thread, they all tend to have their own views, interpretations, and formats for worship.  I really enjoyed each and every service I attended – each for their own special features – and I participated in some very touching ceremonies.  For instance, one Sunday the church I attended held a renewal of vows for a couple who had been married for 70 years – I was overwhelmed with emotion and I didn’t even know them – it was so beautiful!  Some congregations were a little more openly friendly than others, but in every single one there were multiple people who noticed a new face and took the time to come over to greet me and thank me for visiting their church – I felt welcomed and included in every church I visited.  But, when it came down to a final decision, I decided to make the Albion First United Methodist Church my home church once again.  It is the same, but also not the same as it was all those years ago.  The church, itself, is exactly as I remember it and the services are familiar and comfortable – as far as format and standard parts that are second nature to me.  There are a few familiar faces, but for the most part, the congregation is made up of people I will need to get to know, so that is different.  A couple of my neighbors also go there, so that is nice, as well.  I also really like the pastor – he is new to the church, too – his first week was the first week I went after ending my shopping.  I have found…….or should I say RE-found……..a church home and I am settling in as an active member.  I went to the monthly ladies lunch a couple of weeks ago and am brushing up on my knitting and crocheting skills so that I can join the ladies prayer group that makes lovely prayer shawls to give out to members who are going through some tough times.  I look forward to other activities that will gear up in the fall and finding out more about how I can contribute some of my time to the church.

The Orleans County Fair started up this week – yesterday, in fact.  I always loved the fair and carnivals.  Sadly, not many towns still have carnivals, but they do still have county fairs.  I am hoping to take in some of the fun, food, and sights at the fair this week.

I went to Point Breeze this past Saturday – a lovely spot where Lake Ontario and the Oak Orchard River meet – with my nephew, his wife, and their son – my adorable 2-year-old great-nephew, Nolen!  It was such a wonder-filled day having lunch with them and watching Nolen enjoy feeding the ducks and swans, throwing rocks into the lake, exploring for pretty stones for his Mommy, and checking out the lighthouse.  It is one of my most favorite spots in the world and sharing it for the first time with a 2-year-old was an amazing adventure!

Well, I think I need to get on with my day……..I’ve spilled enough thoughts for one day and I need to check my Words With Friends boards to see if it is my turn to create words from random letters!  :)

Bring it on, Summer!

May5

May is here and the anticipation of summer and all that summer brings is raging rampant!  It will soon be Memorial Day Weekend – the ceremonial start of the summer season (even though summer doesn’t “officially” start until June 20th).  Thoughts of flowers, picnics, the lake, lounging on the patio, and other summer fun fill my head.  I am so looking forward to this summer – this area has so much to offer in the summer and I plan to enjoy it as much as I can!

Everywhere you look, people are getting ready for summer – sprucing up their lawns, opening up their pools, and setting out their lawn furniture.  I am no exception.  Sometime next week (if the weather forecasts hold), my yard will undergo a transformation – new flowering trees will be planted, old bushes will be removed, new beds will be prepped, and new plants will be strategically placed to give the yard a colorful look that will compliment the house and reflect my personality.  Soon there will be weeping cherries, weeping crab apples, dogwoods, Bradford pears, azaleas, hydrangeas, peonies, rhododendrons, lilacs, roses, day lilies, and more - all in pinks, purples, reds, and yellows.  Then, by Memorial Weekend, I’ll hit the local nurseries and pick out hanging baskets for the front porch and flats of beautiful annuals to plant in crocks around the patio.  The wind chimes will be placed on shepherd hooks and decorative items will find just the right spots to add a little “something” to the landscape.  This is the last of the big projects I have planned, for now, so once this is done I’ll be able to sit back and enjoy the beauty and the fun of summer!

And then there is the lake!  I talk a lot on here about how much I love Point Breeze, but there is a lot more to Lake Ontario to love!  After all, it is one of the Great Lakes!  Last week, I went to Newfane to the nursery that is doing the landscaping I’m having done.  I went to pick out the trees and finalize the types of plants I wanted.  Newfane is north of the Ridge towards the lake just inside Niagara County.  If you take the road that goes through Newfane all the way to the lake, you run right into Olcott…and right into Lake Ontario, if you don’t stop when you’re supposed to.  My Mom, my brother, and I used to go to Olcott a lot when I was little.  It was so much fun – lots of rides and arcade games and hot dog stands and ice cream and, of course, the lake!  So, when I was done at the nursery, I went on down to Olcott to look around.  It was very quiet – not the busy place it tends to be in the summer season, but there were several crews hard at work getting things ready for the visitors that will soon be making their way down there.  Building exteriors were being painted, streets were being cleaned, landscapers were sprucing up all around, and other odds and ends were being taken care of.  It was a fairly warm day, but very windy and it had rained the night before, so the lake was rough and churned up – but it was still a joy to see.

I parked the car and wandered along the main streets – looking out over the lake, checking out the picnic park, admiring the lighthouse, and grinning ear to ear when I saw that the wonderful old carousel and arcade games are still there and would be opening Memorial Weekend!  (Click here for info on Olcott Beach Carousel Park)  One memory that stands out for me about Olcott Beach is the Skeeball machines — I loved playing them when I was a kid!  You place your coin in the machine and get a set of wooden balls that you roll up the ramp to make them jump into one of several rings for your score…..and a PRIZE.  It was so much fun!  And, of course, since I absolutely adore carousels, the carousel brings fond memories, as well!  I can not wait to go back and check it out once it opens up for the season!

Here are some photos from my afternoon adventure at Olcott Beach:

 

So come on, Summer……..bring it on!!!!  I’m ready to put the top down on the pony and just go drive and see what I can find!!!!

A Taste of the Past

Feb25

Some things just reach out and grab you and send you head first, full speed into a time and place deep in the back of your mind.  They summon up a memory so strong you feel as though you are right back there in the middle of it!  It happens to me all the time – even more so now that I’ve moved back home.  This week, I have enjoyed a strong memory associated with something I bought at the grocery store!

I was in the soda aisle (ooppss - there’s my Sanford side showing a little — I mean, I was in the “pop” aisle) in Tops looking for some root beer to get with my groceries.  I like getting the glass bottle kind – usually Stewarts or one of those type of brands.  I noticed a local brand I hadn’t seen before – Saranac.  It is made by the brewery in Utica, NY.  I used to love going to the Utica Club brewery, which I understand is now known as the Saranac Brewery.  It always made a nice day trip to tour the brewery, smell the wonderful aroma of fermenters full of beer being created, and ending the tour with a big, frosty mug of beer in the old-time saloon on a hot summer day.  So, I decided to try that brand of root beer this week.  When I bent down to grab a six-pack of the root beer, I noticed another flavor called “Shirley Temple”!  It had a pretty pink label with the name “Shirley Temple” and some cherries on it and it was filled with a dark pink – almost red – liquid inside.  It instantly took me back to my childhood – not to memories of Shirley Temple movies, but to memories of a wonderful drink I used to LOVE as a child!

These memories take me to the historic Village Inn restaurant.  I have a lot of fond memories of the Village Inn.  It has a strong historic presence that started in the early 1800′s as an old stage-coach stop along the historic Ridge Road just a little north of Albion in Child’s, NY.  My Mom worked there for several years as a waitress when we were little – just one of the multiple jobs she held as a single mother trying to make ends meet with two small children.  My brother also worked there as a busboy when he was in high school.  And, it was the restaurant I chose to hold my wedding reception at after the ceremony, which was held at the historic Cobblestone Church just across the street from the Village Inn.  We would go to the Village Inn often – the Tillman’s were such nice people!  But, the memory that the pretty pink pop summoned up was of a drink that Mr. Tillman would make for me!  It was called a “Shirley Temple” and looked like a real adult cocktail — it was actually a “kiddie cocktail” served in a cocktail glass with 7-Up, a little grenadine, a maraschino cherry on a cocktail stick, and a swizzle stick that I could sip the drink through like a little miniature straw!  Oo-la-la!  It made me feel special and grown up!  I found out later in life that most bars made them for kids, but at the time, I was convinced that Mr. Tillman only made them especially for me!!!!  I would get all excited when I went, wondering if Mr. Tillman would make me a Shirley Temple!  And they tasted so good!!!  I’ve tried Cherry 7-Up and it just isn’t the same — Mr. Tillman’s Shirley Temples were so much better tasting and full of sweet cherry taste!  Nothing compares!

So, when I saw the Shirley Temple pop in the grocery store, I just had to get some!  I bought a six-pack and put them in the fridge to get them nice and cold.  I looked for something to drink when I was reading today and decided to give one a try.  It did not disappoint!!!!  I was a little worried when I took the first swig from the bottle – it was a touch on the tart side.  But, after another swig, my taste buds adjusted and it was so very good – a little too sweet to drink very often, but quite tasty!  ALMOST – not quite – as good as those wonderful kiddie cocktails that Mr. Tillman made for me all those years ago.  I should pour it out into a cocktail glass, add a maraschino cherry and a swizzle stick, and connect more directly with the memory!

What fun a drink and a memory can be!  Oh, and the Saranac Root Beer is pretty darned good, too!

Sentimental Value

Dec3

I have a lot of things that had belonged to my grandparents – mostly things that were my Grandmother’s, but also some of Grandpa’s things.  I am very pleased and proud to have them in my home and have always displayed them prominently or made sure they were in use and not just sitting in a closet somewhere for “their protection”.  I get a lot of joy out of using them as they used them.  Of course, I’m a little more careful with them than I am with my other things, but I want to enjoy them, as I’m sure my grandparents would want me to.

One piece that has particular sentimental value for me is a mantel clock that was in my grandparent’s living room for many years.  My grandfather bought it on a trip to New York City with his bowling team when my mother was a little girl.  The team earned a spot in the NY State Tournament of ABC Leagues.  While they were there, he found this Seth Thomas electric mantel clock in a jewelry store and brought it home with him.  He used to talk of walking the streets of NYC with this clock under his arm.  The price tag is still stapled to the bottom of the clock – he paid $22.00 for it!  Of course, that was about 70 years ago (give or take a year or two), so that was a LOT of money for a clock!

 

I grew up listening to the clock chime on the hour and half hour and the sound of it makes me think of my grandparents and the years that we lived with them.  I get all warm and fuzzy when I hear the chimes and the clock means a lot to me!  So, when my Grandfather asked me if there was anything that I wanted, I immediately told him that the clock would be the best thing I could possibly have because it single-handedly brought up every memory I had of them and that house and my childhood!  So, it became mine.  And I adored having it in my home.

Unfortunately, a few years after I got it, it stopped working!  I searched for an antique clock repair shop to see if I could get it fixed.  It broke my heart that it no longer kept time and, most importantly, no longer chimed!  I found one near Sanford that kept it for several weeks only to tell me that clocks that old – especially electric ones – can’t be fixed and he recommended I let him gut it and turn it into a battery operated clock that wouldn’t chime.  I told him it would sit on the mantle and just look pretty before I would let him do that to it!  I continued my search.  I talked to an antique clock dealer in Raleigh that said I had to have someone who specialized in electric clocks of that age and that he knew of only 2 or 3 in the country who did that kind of specialized work.  He referred me to a shop in Virginia.  I contacted them and was put on a 6 month waiting list for service.  After about 8 months, I discovered they went out of business.  So, I gave up and decided that it would just be a visual treasure and not a musical one!

After I moved up here, I had a hunch and posted a photo on Facebook to ask if anyone knew of someone in this area that may be able to help.  I got a few suggestions and decided to call the first one, which was also the one that more than one person recommended.  It is a gentleman in Lockport.  He said he’d take a look at it, so I took it up to him today.  He sounded very knowledgable and encouraging and was a very nice, kind man.  I felt comfortable leaving it with him and am hopeful that he can get it fixed for me!  I’m excited, but trying not to get my hopes up TOO high – just in case he can’t fix it and I’m left with a broken heart!

My drive to Lockport was a pleasant adventure.  I rarely used to go in that direction, which is towards Buffalo.  I typically went the other way if I wanted to shop or go for entertainment – towards Rochester.  So, I wasn’t sure where I was going or how to get there.  I plugged the address into my GPS and headed out Route 31 – I knew that was the most direct way to get to downtown Lockport!  But, my GPS really, really wanted me to go via Route 104 (Ridge Road)!  Every street I came to, it would tell me to turn right so that I would head to Ridge Road!  Geez!  I knew how to get to the general area – I just wanted help navigating once I got there!  :)   It was still an enjoyable drive.  It is a pretty day, today – cool, but sunny and bright and very pleasant!  I went through downtown Middleport……..I don’t think I’ve ever been in downtown Middleport before!  What a lovely little town…..very quaint and quiet with a cafe and a few shops…..small, though – if I had blinked, I would have missed it altogether!  The sign entering the town said “Middleport – A Friendly Community” – I believe it!  And, it was in Middleport that my GPS finally decided that it liked the way I was going and stopped trying to get me to go another way!  :)   There were a few other things along the way that I noticed and may have to go back some day when I have more time and check out.

So, thank you to my friends who recommended this guy in Lockport!  I hope it pays off and I’ll soon be listening to the beautiful sounds of Grandpa’s clock chiming throughout the day and night again.